The Top Five Places I Want to See Before I Die

Friday, September 19, 2014

Joining the Lifestyle Sistas Linkup today to talk about the Places I Want to See Before I Die. This topic hits home for me because my Mom travels to amazing destinations several times a year and is checking off every spot on her bucket list. So far this year she has been bike riding in Amsterdam, spent a week in Paris with our daughter, kayaked in Alaska and is heading to one of my top picks this fall: Italy to hike. I hope to do the same one day and here are the top five on my bucket list. Turns out some of my favorite films were shot at many of these destinations so touring those settings would make the trip even more fun!San Francisco

I have never been to California (connecting flights at the airport does not count) so I'd love to wander around San Francisco and ride a cable car. Union Square would be my top destination for art, theater and all of the shops and a Vertigo tour of San Francisco would be fun. Vertigo is probably one of my all time favorite Hitchcock movies and was filmed here!

Napa Valley

Years ago, we had plans for a long weekend with friends in Napa. I don't remember why, but something came up and we couldn't go. Life got in the way and we still haven't made it there. Discovering new wines and eating great food is my idea of the perfect weekend. Sideways, Bottle Shock and the original Parent Trap were all filmed in Napa. Both a Sideways wine tour and a Bottle Behind the Scenes tour are offered so you can visit the settings and sample the wine as you go along.

France

Our daughter was lucky enough to travel to Paris this summer with my Mom. Of course, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe are at the top of my list, but spending a few days on the French Riviera would be amazing too. The coastline is beautiful and the seaside resorts look so quaint. Another film favorite, To Catch a Thief, was shot here too!Ireland

St Patrick's Cathedral, Giant's Causeway and so many amazing castles to see! Do you remember My Left Foot? Daniel Day Lewis played an Irishman with cerebral palsy that only had control of his left foot and later became a painter. This was a remarkable film shot in Ireland. A good friend just got transferred to Dublin for work for a three year assignment. With a place to stay, my chances of visiting Ireland soon just got better!Italy

Where do I even start? Sample wine in the vineyards of Tuscany, see Leonardo d Vinci's Last Supper and attend an opera in Milan. Take in more art at the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia museums in Florence. See the amazing fresco's in the Padua Scrovegni Chapel, take a boat tour around Lago di Como. Visit the Colosseum and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel in Rome...you get the idea, lot's to see and do! Two more of my favorite movies were shot in Italy; Life is Beautiful, filmed in Arezzo and A Room with a View, filmed in Florence.What destinations are on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments!Thanks for stopping by and reading today! I hope you will come back and I'd love it if you followed along with me on Facebook, Bloglovin or Google +.Linking up with these fabulous bloggers here.

23 comments

My husband and I LOVE Ireland. It's such a beautiful country and there are so many amazing places to see! My husband's company is based in Ireland and he worked there for 18 months. You better believe I visited all the time! Does your friend work for Kerry?

I'm sooooo glad you linked up with us!!!! Also, I may have to borrow some of your ideas!!! Apparently, we just need to win the lottery and travel all over!I picked Italy too, wine, food, history... you can't go wrong!

Oh sister I have never visited California either and would love to go especially to the 2 places you picked plus to Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, of course. I have briefly been to Italy but it was many years ago and it rained the whole time so I didn't see much of it. My Sister-in-law did a tour all over Italy for 10 days and came back just last week. She loved it. And I have seen Paris very briefly when I had a 9-hour layover (I got the long layover on purpose lol) but I did get to see some of the touristy places, had some amazing food and macaroons. As a huge wine-lover though I'd love to go to California, Italy and France. Spain is another great place for wine. Lucky for me I have visited there twice already though there is still a ton to see. You do live in a great city though. Chicago is one of a lof of people's most favorite cities or one they'd love to visit if they haven't already. Lucky I have been there at least a dozen times and love it, especially Michigan Avenue. Plus you know Michiganders love Chicago. =)

Have a Beautiful Weekend and look for an E-Mail from me, this weekend!! Thanks, Ada. =)

These are really great choices!!! I have been to all but Ireland but my husband is dying to go there so I am sure I will see it one day. My husband doesn't like to go to places more than once because there is so much of the world to see, but I would go back to Italy over and over and over and over again. It is the MOST magnificent place and I never really want to travel anywhere else (like ever).Have a great weekend Jill! It's always nice reading your sweet comments on my blog!xoMarianne www.goodgirlgoneglam.com

I'm so glad you linked up with us this week! I love how you chose favorite movies for each location - To Catch A Thief is a great one! My hubby and I honeymooned in San Francisco and Napa Valley, and we love it there! I would love to go to Ireland too!

Great post Jill!! San Francisco is definitely on my bucket list, actually I've always dreamed of driving down the coast of California starting north travelling all the way south and stopping at all the amazing cities/places I've heard so much of!! I've been to France twice and completely loved it and to Italy a few times. Those are probably my two favourite places I've ever travelled to & they are so magnificent!! I'm also not one to want to keep going back to the same place except when it comes to France & Italy since there is just so much to see and do. My husband had never been and we went for our honeymoon mind you we went to areas of both countries I hadn't been to before so it worked out well.Enjoy your weekend:)Marta, xowww.sweatersstripesandsweets.com

I went to Paris with my husband a few years ago and fell in love with it. I want to go back... but, we will probably do Italy next (sans kids again) in a year or two. I haven't been to Napa yet either.

This sounds a lot like my list too! I want to see San Francisco and Napa Valley (actually seeing all 50 states is on my bucket list!) I also want to travel to Italy, Australia, England, the Czech Republic, basically anywhere in the world!